Guru Mani Ratnam

Guru (transl. Teacher) is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. Produced by Madras Talkies, the film stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Mithun Chakraborty, R. Madhavan, and Vidya Balan. The score and soundtrack for the film were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film was rumoured to be a biopic of the industrial tycoon Dhirubhai Ambani, but Ratnam refuted the claims, clarifying it was a work of fiction.[3]

The film was released on 12 January 2007 with its première at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto, Canada, on Thursday, 11 January 2007 by Roger Nair, making it the first Indian film to have a mainstream international première in Canada. Roger Nair Productions acquired the rights for Canada and held a premiere with most of the cast and crew flown to Toronto, Canada.[4][5][6] The film was premiered in the Tous Les Cinemas du Monde (World Cinema) section of 2007 Cannes Film Festival.[7][8] The film had also been dubbed and released in Tamil with the same title while in Telugu with the title Gurukanth.

In 1951, in the village of Idar, Gujarat, Gurukant "Guru" Desai is an ambitious young man who dreams of achieving financial success, despite the discouragement of his pragmatic father, Kantilal, the village school headmaster. Driven to make his own fortune, Guru travels to Turkey, where he successfully enters the spice trade and is subsequently employed by Burmah Shell. Although offered a major corporate promotion, he declines the position and returns to India, determined to work for himself.

Back in his village, Guru pitches a business venture to his childhood friend, Jignesh. To secure the necessary startup capital, Guru marries Jignesh's older sister, Sujata, primarily for the substantial dowry she commands. Guru, Sujata, and Jignesh relocate to Bombay to establish a textile trading business. As Guru aggressively expands operations, he establishes a manufacturing firm named Shakti Corporation. However, ideological differences cause Jignesh to dissolve the partnership. During the split, Jignesh reveals to Sujata that Guru's initial motivation for marrying her was purely financial, straining the marriage. Despite the revelation, Sujata stands by Guru, and the couple develops a genuine, unbreakable bond.

During his early, lean years in Bombay, Guru is mentored by Manik "Nanaji" Dasgupta, the idealistic publisher of the whistleblower newspaper The Independent. Nanaji treats Guru like a son, while Guru develops a close friendship with Nanaji's granddaughter, Meenu, who is later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As Shakti Corporation grows into one of the largest conglomerates in India, Guru ruthlessly expands his industrial empire. To circumvent the restrictive regulations of the "License Raj," he resorts to smuggling advanced machinery parts for his polyester mills, artificially inflating production capacities, bribing officials, and manipulating the equity market to maximize profits.

When Nanaji discovers that Guru's meteoric rise is fueled by systemic corruption, his journalistic integrity overrides his personal affection. He assigns an analytical reporter, Shyam Saxena, to launch a relentless press campaign to expose Guru's illegal business practices. Amidst this high-stakes media warfare, Sujata gives birth to twin daughters, Disha and Drishti. The immense stress of the escalating legal and public relations battles takes a physical toll on Guru; he suffers a severe stroke, leaving the right side of his body permanently paralyzed. Concurrently, Meenu, who has since married Shyam, succumbs to her terminal illness, devastating both sides of the conflict.

In October 1980, a disabled but defiant Guru is summoned before a special governmental inquiry tribunal to defend Shakti Corporation against dozens of regulatory and financial fraud charges. During the public cross-examination, Guru delivers a powerful defense to the panel and the gathered press. He argues that he arrived in Bombay as an uneducated villager completely ignorant of complex excise duties, customs laws, and sales taxes. He contends that an archaic, corrupt, and restrictive bureaucratic system forced him to indulge in bribes and loop-hole manipulation simply to survive and grow.

Impressed by his vision and acknowledging the flaws within the state machinery, the tribunal clears Guru of 27 of the 29 criminal charges. He is penalized with a fine of ₹6.3 million for the remaining two regulatory infractions and is permitted to return to executive operations. Guru later addresses a massive stadium filled with Shakti Corporation's public shareholders. Reflecting on his father's old warning, he proudly declares that their collective dream has forged India's largest company, closing with a call to action to expand their corporate empire on a global scale.

• Abhishek Bachchan as Gurukant "Guru" Desai (based on Dhirubhai Ambani)
• Aishwarya Rai as Sujata "Suju" Desai (based on Kokilaben Ambani)
• Mithun Chakraborty as "Nanaji" Manik Dasgupta (based on Ramnath Goenka and Pannalal Dasgupta)
• R. Madhavan as Shyam Saxena (based on Swaminathan Gurumurthy)
• Vidya Balan as Meenakshi "Meenu" Saxena (née Dasgupta)
• Roshan Seth as Justice Thapar
• Mallika Sherawat in a guest appearance as Champa, the dancer in song "Mayya Mayya"
• Arya Babbar as Jignesh (based on Champaklal Damani)
• Arjan Bajwa as Arzan Contractor
• Rajendra Gupta as Guru's father Kantilal Desai
• Sarita Joshi as Guru's stepmother
• Sachin Khedekar as Sujata's father
• Sudhir Pandey as Mathura Das
• Neena Kulkarni as Tulsiben, Sujata's mother
• Prathap K. Pothan as K. R. Menon I.A.S.
• Darshan Jariwala as cashier Anand Palekar
• Sanjay Mishra as Chhagan, Guru's senior in Turkey
• Manoj Joshi as Ghanshyam Das
• Dhritiman Chatterjee as Contractor (based on Naval Tata)
• Sanjay Swaraj as Guru's brother
• Anaushka Dantra and Ashoi Dantra as Disha Desai and Drishti Desai, Guru's twin daughters
• Sunil Agarwal as Ashok Agarwal
• Murad Ali
• Raviprakash as Bhanu Patel (in voice)
• Sunny Subramanian as Young Guru
• Mukesh S Bhatt as Ramlal
• T. M. Karthik as Doctor (uncredited)

Guru was written and directed by Mani Ratnam, while Vijay Krishna Acharya wrote the Hindi dialogues. Filming took place in Mumbai, Madurai, Turkey, Badami and Melkote (both in Karnataka), as well as in Chennai, Pollachi, Chettinad region Tamil Nadu, and Athirappilly in Kerala. Much of the film was shot on the Express Estates, the former home of newspaper publications The Indian Express and Dinamani. The music is composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Gulzar. Cinematography for the film is handled by Rajiv Menon.[9] Several scenes were deleted from the final theatrical version, including a scene in which Sujata first gives birth to a stillborn child and a scene in which Guru becomes angry with his wife for visiting Manik Dasgupta.

Guru is reflective of a man's desire for ambition and success, and how times have changed from the period immediately following India's independence to the present. It was widely speculated that this film is a biographical film of Dhirubhai Ambani, one of India's biggest industrial tycoons. Like Guru, Ambani also had roots in Gujarat as the son of a schoolteacher, went abroad to work for the gas company Shell, and returned to India to import polyester.[10] Ratnam has described Guru as inspired by stories both past and present.

The soundtrack for this film is composed by A. R. Rahman. For his work in this film, A. R. Rahman received awards for Best Music Director and Best Background Score at the 53rd Filmfare Awards as well as the 9th IIFA awards. According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, with around 11,50,000 units sold, this film's soundtrack album was the year's twelfth highest-selling.[11]

Box office

Guru opened well upon release, gaining momentum over time.[12] In the United States, Guru, opening on a limited release, registered good collections in its opening weekend, fetching ₹3 crore during this period, with a high screen average.[13] By its seventh week, the film had netted ₹41.65 crore in India,[14] collecting ₹13 crore in the US and the UK.[15][16] As of 23 February 2007, Guru, having released 12 January, has grossed more than ₹83.67 crore across the world and was declared a "hit" at the box office.[2][17] In the United States, it was a blockbuster.

Critical reception

Guru received positive reviews from critics, with widespread praise for Abhishek Bachchan's performance.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.1/10.[18]

Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 70 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[19]

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave 4/5 stars and wrote "Guru ranks as one of Mani Ratnam's finest efforts and one of the best to come out of Hindi cinema,"[20] and praised actors performances writing "Reserve all the awards for Bachchan. No two opinions on that! His performance in Guru is world class and without doubt. From a sharp teenager in Turkey to the biggest entrepreneur of the country, Bachchan handles the various shades his character demands with adroitness."[21] The New York Times gave 3/4 stars and wrote "You might think it would be difficult to fashion an entertaining account of the life of a polyester manufacturer, even a fictitious one. But director Mani Ratnam has done so with Guru, an epic paean to can-do spirit and Mumbai capitalism."[22] Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gave 4/5 stars explaining "The beauty of Mani Ratnam's cinema is truly in its unpredictability. Few filmmakers can translate their personal vision onto screen the way Mani Ratnam can. So that's two thumbs up for Guru – it's a must-watch for all. Of the film's cast, Chakraborty playing the ruthless newspaper baron, deserves mention for the dignity which he brings to the part, one that's clearly inspired by Indian Express founder Ramnath Goenka. The actor in this film who truly blew my mind, is Rai. There is a silent grace, quiet nobility to her performance, which I have to admit I've never seen before. Of course, the film belongs to Bachchan, the protagonist, Guru himself. And in all honesty, Bachchan rises to the challenge like never before."[23] Los Angeles Weekly termed it as the best Hindi film since Lagaan (2001).[24] Richard Corliss of Time compared the film to Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life and said that one of the main highlights of the film was its climax. This Guru is more like a fine polyester. He further noted, "Ash's film eminence remains a mystery. No question she's pretty, but she's more an actress-model than a model-actress. In Guru, she's mainly ornamentation".[25] Hindustan Times gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Ratnam and Bachchan Jr have given you a film that’s as close to life as say, business is to politics. For the discerning viewer, satisfaction is guaranteed. and some more. Rai is marvellous, handling complex scenes with grace and empathy. Above all, the enterprise belongs to Bachchan. He is astonishingly nuanced and unwaveringly forceful in his career-best performance after Yuva (2004)."[26]

Raja Sen of Rediff gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Guru is fuelled by a slew of strong performances. Bachchan owns the movie, forcing audiences to sit up straight as it begins and making us laugh and applaud as he carries on. He's impressive in every frame, as he ebulliently takes over an alien room by hopping onto a chair, or when he's trying to be ever so slightly slimy, polishing his spectacles and showing off his smarminess".[27] Daily News and Analysis gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Guru is a film that enthralls you for most of its running time as it traces the life of the uncannily forward seeing bumpkin from Gujarat who turns every disadvantage into an advantage. With Guru, Bachchan has finally learnt the nuances of the grammar of cinema, in what will very likely be his defining film".[28] Sify gave the verdict "Very Good" and write "Mani Ratnam’s Guru is undoubtedly a gutsy and outstanding film. Outstanding performance is extracted from everyone in the cast."[29] The Hindu wrote "Guru is vintage Mani Ratnam. It encapsulates his characteristic canniness about human nature, specifically relationships. This is considered Abhishek Bachchan's role of a lifetime."[30] The Sunday Times wrote "It is certainly one of the best Bollywood movies you will see. Performances attract admiration: Bachchan does a De Niro, piling on the dosas to show the ageing and overweight Guru and he is, surprisingly, impressive. Rai sheds her usual doe-eyed expressions and is endearing as the supportive but fiery wife, who looks and dances like an angel. Chakraborty and Tamil superstar Madhavan shine equally brightly in underwritten supporting roles".[31] Jaspreet Pandohar of BBC gave 3/5 and wrote "Ratnam's absorbing screenplay ensures that Guru rises above the usual rags to riches story, by weaving in meaty subplots involving the protagonist's complex relationships with his loyal wife (Rai), friends and foes".[32]

• List of Bollywood films of 2007

1. ↑ Verma, Meenakshi (24 April 2007). "Adlabs to spin distribution network". The Economic Times. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
2. 1 2 3 "Guru – Movie". Box Office India.
3. ↑ "'Guru is not Dhirubai Ambani's story'". Hindustan Times. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 9 January 2007.
4. ↑ "Thousands attend 'Guru' premiere". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. 11 January 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
5. ↑ "Canada mayor invites 'Guru' crew for world premiere". Indo-Asian News Service. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2007.
6. ↑ "YouTube Channel". Saregam movies.
7. ↑ Preview: Acceptance in Cannes bestows prestige and honour Archived 30 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
8. ↑ "Cannes, India celebrate 60 years".
9. ↑ "Guru". Guru production.
10. ↑ Mukherjee, Krittivas. "Rags-to-riches story". Retrieved 27 February 2009.
11. ↑ "Music Hits 2000–2009 (Figures in Units)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 24 June 2010.
12. ↑ "Indian B.O.: 'Guru' strong in parts". IndiaFM. Archived from the original on 24 February 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
13. ↑ "Overseas: 'Guru' is a smash hit". IndiaFM. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
14. ↑ "Domestic Box Office". IBOSNetwork. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
15. ↑ "Top Lifetime Grossers Worldwide (IND Rs)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
16. ↑ "Overseas: Realism bites the dust". IndiaFM. Archived from the original on 23 April 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
17. ↑ "Box Office: **The 2007 Box Office Report and Classifications**". IBOS. Retrieved 7 January 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
18. ↑ "Guru". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
19. ↑ "Guru Reviews". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
20. ↑ Adarsh, Taran (12 January 2007). "Guru". IndiaFM. Retrieved 17 January 2007.
21. ↑ "Guru : Movie Review by Taran Adarsh". Bollywood Hungama. 12 January 2007. Archived from the original on 25 January 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
22. ↑ Webster, Andy (15 January 2007). "Polyester and Power at Play for a Mogul and His India". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 February 2007.
23. ↑ "Masand's Verdict: Guru | Reactions". IBNLive. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
24. ↑ "Guru opens with a big bang in the U.S." Hindustan Times. 17 January 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2007.
25. ↑ Corliss, Richard (12 January 2007). "Guru – Review". Time. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2007.
26. ↑ "REVIEW: Guru: Good value for Mani". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 July 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
27. ↑ "Watch Guru for the actors". Rediff.com. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
28. ↑ Mirani, Indu (12 January 2007). "When form and style merge". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
29. ↑ "Movie Review:Guru". Sify. Archived from the original on 26 August 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
30. ↑ "Friday Review Chennai / Film Review : Tale of a dreamer admirably told – Guru". The Hindu. 19 January 2007. Archived from the original on 22 January 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
31. ↑ Sinanan, Anil (1 February 2007). "Guru Review". The Times. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
32. ↑ Jaspreet Pandohar (8 January 2007). "Movies – review – Guru". BBC. Retrieved 6 July 2011.

• Guru at IMDb
• Guru at Box Office Mojo